This invention relates to an inorganic coating composition having an improved weldability, which comprises a solution of a water-soluble silicate as a binder and an anti-corrosive pigment composed of zinc powder and iron and/or nickel phosphide.
Highly concentrated zinc powder anti-corrosive paints comprising an organic resin such as an epoxy resin, a chlorinated rubber, a polystyrene resin, a silicone resin or the like or an inorganic binder such as ethyl silicate, an alkali silicate or the like and zinc powder incorporated in this organic or inorganic binder, such as disclosed in the specification of U.s. Pat. No. 3,562,124, have heretofore been used in the art. In processing, e.g., welding, of steel plates coated with such highly concentrated zinc powder paints, zinc fumes are scattered around the working environment and there is frequently caused a problem that workers suffer from zinc poisoning. Further, coatings formed by using an organic binder such as an epoxy resin, a chlorinated rubber, a polystyrene resin or a silicone resin are greatly damaged by welding and hence, large labors are necessary for patching damaged portions after welding. Still further, the adhesion of such coating is reduced in the vicinity of the welded portion and it is feared that the coated steel gets rusty drastically from such part. In contrast, coatings formed by using paints including such inorganic binders as mentioned above are free of such defects as observed in coatings of paints including the organic binder at the time of welding, but paints including the inorganic binder are inferior with respect to the film-forming property and the adhesion to a top coating. For example, since the sodium silicate binder disclosed in the above U.S. patent specification has a high pH and a high water-solubility, the resulting coating is easily dissolved in water. Further, a coating formed by using a paint including hydrolyzed ethyl silicate is inferior in the weldability.